Covid variant, China invasion of Taiwan and more inflation: What shocks will 2023 bring? January 8, 2023 A new Covid-19 variant that escapes vaccines is among the biggest risks threatening to sharpen the UK recession, City economists surveyed by City A.M. suspect. Asked what wildcard trends could spring up to hit the economy this year, experts warned another deadly strain of the virus spreading is one of the biggest headwinds that would [...]
Emmanuel Macron set for almighty row over plans to bump up French retirement age January 8, 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron’s government attempts to revive his economic reform drive and score a major political victory this week with a launch of the pension system’s overhaul in the face of vehement trade union opposition. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is to detail on Tuesday plans to make the French work longer, most likely by [...]
Rishi Sunak hits back at critics of inflation promise but warns government ‘can’t help anybody’ if prices don’t fall January 8, 2023 Rishi Sunak has today claimed halving inflation by the end of the year – one of his five promises to the British public – will happen “because of the plans [the government] have put in place”. Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, the prime minister doubled down on a series of pledges [...]
TSB: Quarter of fraud payment victims denied money back in new scheme as regulator urged to rethink January 7, 2023 TSB is urging a regulator to reconsider proposals which could mean one in four people who are tricked into transferring money to a fraudster being denied their money back. The bank said the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) should reconsider the plans for a new bank transfer fraud refund mechanism that would allow banks to exclude [...]
RMT accuses train operators of profiteering as rail strikes drag on January 7, 2023 Train companies at the heart of the long-running rail dispute have made hundreds of millions of pounds in profits since the government put them on new contracts when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, a union claims. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said while rail workers have had their pay frozen in the same period, [...]
Recession spreads to British construction as experts brace for a jump in unemployment and the cost of living January 6, 2023 British builders are being dragged into a slump by the recession that has taken hold in the wider economy, a closely watched survey has revealed.. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) final purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the construction sector for December fell to 48.8 from 50.4. The reading means [...]
CBDCs – the future of banking or an Orwellian Nightmare? January 6, 2023 Susie Violet Ward presents the case against central bank digital currencies, arguing they're a one-way ticket to trouble.
Already failing Dry January? Don’t worry – why alcohol free isn’t actually the answer January 6, 2023 Helen ditched booze on the 1st of January, the same as she has done for the past six years with the aim of doing Dry January, but she has always found herself drinking again before the month ends. On average she drinks one glass of wine every other day and describes herself as a “happy” [...]
Pubs: As record number predicted to go bust in 2023 hospitality guru urges gov to lift sector from ‘the abyss’ January 6, 2023 A record number of pubs, clubs and restaurants could go to the wall this year without more support, warned a leading industry voice.
Sunshine Saturday: Holiday bookings soar as Brits rush to get best deal amid cost-of-living squeeze January 6, 2023 Holiday bookings are set to skyrocket this Saturday as thousands of Brits rush to get the best deal amid the cost-of-living crisis. Figures published today by tour operator trade body ABTA show 61 per cent of people are planning to have a holiday abroad this year. Of those, 31 per cent say they want to [...]